- My STEP Signature Project was a study abroad program in London, England. I took classes, lived in a dorm, and participated in campus activities at Richmond University.
- I learned so much about myself throughout this process. I had never before seen myself as an independent person, but being able to live in a massive international city, and thrusting myself into an environment where I didn’t know many people allowed myself to discover that I am independent and enjoy figuring things out on my own. I was able to meet people from so many different backgrounds, and got to experience the diversity of living in such a large city with such a big community, something I wouldn’t be able to see at Ohio State. My confidence as a person, as well as my confidence for my success upon leaving Ohio State in a year, increased greatly.
- The traveling I was able to do while living in Europe led me to discover so much about myself and my confidence. Before this, I had only traveled with family or a couple times with friends to comfortable parts of the US. In this new environment, I was able to inexpensively buy tickets to new countries and discover new places I had never dreamed of. This showed me the itch I have for discovering different parts of the world, and alleviated fears I had previously held on my ability to navigate new places. I was able to try different foods, meet different kinds of people, and explore so many new places.
I also met so many people abroad that I wouldn’t have before. Being in a small program, especially compared to the size of Ohio State, we got to know the other students on our program very well. I met so many people from different backgrounds, and it was so interesting to me to hear the different reasons why students chose to study abroad, and what they hoped to gain out of the experience. Getting to travel with these people also created so many memories I will cherish forever, and helped me discover that although I love to spend time with others and create memories together, I am capable, and do enjoy, exploring on my own.
Exploring the city of London was also one of the most incredible parts of living abroad. I have never lived in a large city before, and the accessibility to so many different cultural events, food, and different types of people was an amazing thing I had always dreamed of experiencing. This again led me to discover my independence and my ability to figure things out on my own, instead of relying on other people as I have done in the past. This made me realize that after college I want to step outside of what I have felt comfortable in over the years, and move to a new city that I have yet to explore.
This transformation is something that will impact my entire life moving forward. Being able to experience so many new and different things in such a short period of time left me with not only the travel bug, but a new set of priorities for my life. Though I still care immensely about schoolwork and the consistent people in my life, I also have a newfound appreciation for experiencing new cultures and meeting people that I may not be able to if I stay within the boundaries that I am comfortable with
